Improve kiwix-build README

[kelson42]

README should clearly explain the compilation procedure. This means step-by-step procedures which can be follow blindly with short explanation about what is going on:

• What are the dependencies (with minimal version)
• How to compile kiwix-lib and kiwix-tools under Linux static/dynamic by downloading locally deps
• How to cross-compile kiwix-lib and kiwix-tools under Linux for Windows static/dynamic by downloading locally deps

[mgautierfr]

I've merged the branch android into master and with that, I've rewrite the README. Can you check it on your side (and push changes in a new PR if necessary) ?

[kelson42]

@mgautierfr thx, will have a look.

[kelson42]

@mgautierfr I have started to rewrite the README and I have a few questions:

• How to get the list of target? How to compile a Kiwix APK for Android?
• How to compile for linux arm?

[stale]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be now be reviewed manually. Thank you for your contributions.

[ynikitenko]

Please write that qmake must be installed. I had an error in the middle of building that qmake couldn't be found. I think that could be better reported in the very beginning (or, in a worse case, in README).
Also ninja could be automatically installed from pip. Why don't we add that to setup.py requirements? I think that should work fine in most cases.

[ynikitenko]

This was suggested earlier, but the issue was closed (#49). I think there are two options: either do that automatically, or include in README (as proposed in this issue).

[kelson42]

Please write that qmake must be installed. I had an error in the middle of building that qmake couldn't be found. I think that could be better reported in the very beginning (or, in a worse case, in README).
Also ninja could be automatically installed from pip. Why don't we add that to setup.py requirements? I think that should work fine in most cases.

@ynikitenko qmake is de dependence only used for Kiwix Desktop. Qt is a clear dependence (written in README.md) of Kiwix Desktop already. We don't repeat here what is written in specific project READMEs.

[ynikitenko]

@ynikitenko We don't repeat here what is written in specific project READMEs.

@kelson42 in kiwix-build README it's written

The compilation is handled by the kiwix-build command. It will compile everything.

and below there is an example

kiwix-build kiwix-lib # will build kiwix-build and its dependencies

So it seems that kiwix-build promises to deal with all dependencies itself? It would be great.
Otherwise it would be useful to add that dependencies for these packages should be looked for in their READMEs.

[mgautierfr]

So it seems that kiwix-build promises to deal with all dependencies itself? It would be great.

Yes. And that is THE purpose of kiwix-build. But we are speaking about run-time dependency (either by compiling them or using the system packages)
For build dependencies (qmake, cmake, ninja,..) we use the system packages.

There is already a system to install needed packages (deb, rpm). If some needed packages are not installed by kiwix-build, please report it in new issues.

[ynikitenko]

@mgautierfr now I understand, thanks. But in the prerequisites section it's written

You will need a recent version of Meson (>= 0.34) and Ninja (>= 1.6)

Why don't you add qmake there?

Sorry, I read the answer above. I hope something will be done for those who install Kiwix-desktop.

[stale]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be now be reviewed manually. Thank you for your contributions.